Love to Last the Ages
by Harbynger
Summary: -CHAPTER 5 UP- When freedom and hope are destroyed, only one person can save Harpuia, imprisoned by pain. ZeroxHarpuia MM, AU, Lemon (perhaps), Not for the faint of heart.
1. Agony

Author's Rant: Greetings. Well, I have searched long and hard to find a fanfic of this nature, unfortunately to no avail. I suppose I shouldn't be too surprised, considering that probably not too many rabid yaoi fangirls play Mega Man Zero, but here I am. A rabid yaoi fangirl that plays Mega Man Zero (and Zero 2), and adores them. Go ahead and stare to your hearts content. Anyway, if any other members of my species read this and play the game (and can write), please do me a favor and humor me. Write a fanfic. Some of us really do want to read this kind of stuff. Yes, I'm serious. So, here's my horrible fic. I'm evil. I'm absolutely convinced of it. If you don't like this kind of stuff, don't read it. I'm just here to amuse those that are like me. bows To those of you that do like these things, read on. I aim to please.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters used and tortured beyond belief in this fic, and Harpuia, if you're out there, know that I'm sorry and that I love you.

**Love to Last the Ages**

Prologue: Agony

"No, stop… please…" a desperate voice cried out as pain surged through his body and caused tears to spill out from his vibrant green eyes. Blood dripped and distorted the small pools of the crimson liquid forming under his limbs, dully reflecting light and mirroring the torture the poor boy was going through. He had done nothing; in fact, he had done everything his master had told him to do, and it earned him only endless hours of agony. Scars marred his pale, soft flesh, providing unfortunate evidence to the "Sessions of Discipline" that he had come to know so well, and there were undoubtedly going to be many more in the coming days as gashes marked his latest lesson. These lessons, often occurring two to three times a week, were intense. The green-eyed child had come to despise these sessions and his master with them, and he looked forward with all his heart to the blessed moments of sleep, no matter how few they were. And they were very few.

The boy cried out desperately, his voice filled with pain as the whip came down again upon his bare and bleeding skin, faster and more powerful than the last fall. The whip was one of the boy's worst enemies, he having met it in battle many times before, only to come out battered and faint from the sheer amount of blood loss. His master, almost always seen with the cursed whip at his side, never showed mercy, always beating his victims to near death. Some actually had died, and, at the moment, the young boy was pleading for death. Anything to escape the horrors he had to suffer. Though, considering how much his master treasured the boy (whether the feelings be from carnal desires or merely the satisfaction of displaying the boy's beauty to others), he wouldn't be allowed the salvation of death any time soon.

In fact, great measures had been taken to assure that the boy wouldn't try to take his own life, in order to escape his captivity. To eat, he had his hands tied and was fed like a baby by his master, all significantly deadly items, such as hair combs or jewelry, were no where to be found in the castle; he was even under surveillance when he bathed to avoid all possibilities of drowning. Though he had fervently tried many times to come up with other ways of suicide, all of them were foiled either by bad luck, or by his master himself. He had learned to back off from those attempts from the punishment he had to endure after his master had discovered his acts. The pain he was going through now was like a paper cut compared to the punishments he went through when his master discovered he had tried to escape by death. However, those punishments couldn't really compare with the whipping and the cuts, for they were of an entirely different nature. They were purely carnal, primarily used to satisfy his master's sensual desires. They were hell.

The whip came down again, but at this point the boy with the green eyes was no longer able to cry out, or make any sort of noise whatsoever. He had screamed himself hoarse, and now he could only open his mouth in a silent cry and let the tears flow from his eyes. The pain was so much that he couldn't even think; couldn't focus on something to take some of the pain away. There was nothing, only the room painted with his blood and his master smiling cruelly at the pathetic sight the boy now was once again. A horribly shaky breath, a twitch of his muscles, and the pain of the wounds were all that the boy could focus on. He opened his eyes, and settled the glazed green orbs upon his smirking master. His eyes pleaded with him to stop the torture, to let him have one moment of salvation. He expected no such break.

The boy tensed up for another lash, squeezing his eyes closed tightly, and prepared for the worst; the pain of the whip upon his bleeding body. It didn't come. He opened his eyes slightly to look at his master, confusion and fear flooding into his eyes. His master merely let out a terrifying laugh and leaned down until his face was mere inches from the boy's. He brought up his hand and stroked the boy's cheek, wiping away one of the many tears still streaming down the poor child's face. He licked the tear off of his fingers and smiled horribly, his lust for the boy filling his expression. The boy took a shaky breath filled with fear, and let his crystal tears flow once more. If there was anything he feared more than the cursed whip and the pain, it was his master's bestial desires. Even though he needn't fear that act this night, there was undoubtedly a horrible future ahead of him. His master, still smiling like an animal, cupped the boy's chin and lifted his face up even closer, so their lips almost touched. His master whispered quietly, but fiercely and he could feel his master's breath on his face, creating more fear to build up in his heart.

"You're mine, Harpuia. You're all mine…" he said and stood up, letting the boy's body fall back and start to shake violently with sobs. He turned and looked back at the boy named Harpuia, and merely smirked evilly as the lustful thoughts filled his mind. He put his hand on the brass doorknob and slowly opened the creaking door, letting Harpuia listen to the sounds of his escape, only to hear the heavy door slam closed and hear his master lock it from the outside.

Harpuia lay there, unable to move from the pain, and felt the pools of blood touching his body grow cold. The thin pants that barely protected his legs were now in tatters, quickly being dyed a deep crimson, and his naked chest and back were covered with gashes and the blood that had spilled from them. The thin fabric clung to his skin, soaked with blood, and became almost unbearably cold. He knew that he would be quite sick the next morning, and that he unfortunately wouldn't be allowed death, and he knew that he would have many new scars to add to his marks of torment. He merely cried, remembering all of the good times he had that were now long gone. He remembered his two best friends, Leviathan and Fefnir, of whom he had no idea where they were. They always got into mischief, and in times of trouble, always managed to cheer each other up. Leviathan always teased Harpuia about how pretty he was; how he was _almost_ prettier than herself. They all laughed and at this point Fefnir would turn to Harpuia, grinning like an idiot, and ask him to a small match. Harpuia always agreed, and the matches always ended in a tie. Fefnir would start to pout and Leviathan would let out her musical laugh, making both Fefnir and Harpuia forget about the match and smile. When Leviathan and Fefnir were asleep, Harpuia would smile sweetly and look out at the sparkling stars, always thinking about how lucky he was to have friends like those two. Now, Harpuia had neither of them to comfort him in his times of need. He was glad that they were all right, at least he hoped they were, but he wished that he could be free once again just like them.

Harpuia smiled softly at the wonderful memories and new tears trickled down his face. He loved them both, and he missed them dearly. He missed being able to see the sunlight without the bars of a cage distorting the view. He missed the sound of the small birds chirping in the spring. Most of all though, he missed the feeling he got when he, by small chance, caught a glimpse of the person that always made him forget about his pain.

Harpuia turned over on his side, ignoring the surges of pain that flashed throughout his body, and curled up into a ball, hugging his knees tightly to feel slightly safer. He pushed away his pain with the image of that person's face, the comforting sound of that person's voice. That person was always calm, always willing to help someone in need. Whenever Harpuia saw him, his heart fluttered and a small blush always colored his pale cheeks. Leviathan and Fefnir teased him about that as well, for they knew well why he was nervous. When they spotted that shy blush on Harpuia's face, Fefnir would grin and give him a hearty pat on the back and Leviathan would squeal, saying what a lucky guy that person was. Harpuia's breath became short when all of the memories came flooding back, and he saw the person's face. The all-too-familiar blush rose to his cheeks, and he took in a shaky breath. He nearly choked on his tears as he longed to see that person just once more. As he whispered the blessed name, he prayed with all of his aching heart that maybe someday he would get to see that person again. Maybe someday he could be free…

"Zero…"

Author's Note Thing: Whee… I'm done. Can you see why I find myself just plain demented? Yes, now you're starting to see it. Well, at least I didn't make him _completely_ naked. Mehehehe… Anyways, if you read it and liked it, leave a comment. If you read it and hated it, leave a comment telling me how I can improve. Those things are like candy from Heaven to me. Anyway… If I remember and/or care enough to continue this fic, then don't miss the next installment of Love to Last the Ages.

Wait… Before I go, I suppose I should clear things up, just so I don't upset any of you. This is indeed an Alternate Universe fanfic, so most of the characters are pretty different. Example: Harpuia. In my horrible and twisted mind, he's a sweet, innocent uke. Zero is a protective and tough seme. That's just how I see it. Forgive me if I upset any of you with how the characters are acting. If you tell me that you don't like it, I will be more than happy to change it. I'll probably clear more things in later chapters as I think of them. (Oh, yes. In the prologue, I kept calling Harpuia a boy, or a young child. I don't mean this literally; I just think it describes his sweeter nature. He's about… 16, I think. Don't quote me on that, though…) Anyway, thanks for putting up with me.


	2. Confusion

Author's Rant: Wow… A review already? ALRIGHT! Thank you so much, Leviathan-san. That definitely made my day. Oh, and thank you for the clarification about the age. I really had no idea. You certainly know a lot about MMZ. I'm jealous. Haha… Oh, and for the purposes of this AU fic, I'll make Zero 18 (he would be a super-pedophile if he weren't). Heh. Thanks again, Leviathan-san. This chapter is dedicated to you.

Oh, yes… For anyone else reading this who likes Ciel, I'm really, REALLY sorry. Trust me, I have nothing against her, but for the purposes of this fic, I have to make her annoying. I am SO sorry. I couldn't think of any other way to pull this off. So, please don't eat me alive. I won't be able to keep up this story if you do.

Also (I'm terribly sorry… I just really need to clear some things up), I have not played MMZ3 yet, so even though I would love to use some of the characters, I can't. So, bear with me if I use some oldies. Thanks.

Disclaimer: Nope, I don't own anybody in this fic (except for the master, I suppose). Hmm…

Chapter 1: Confusion

"Whoa… What in the world was that?" a calm, alto voice said, the person it came from halting his training in surprise. He almost felt a voice call out to him, like a quiet cry from a distance. Though, that was impossible; the training room was completely soundproof, extra measures taken to avoid disturbing those who were sleeping with the grunts and cries from those exercising and training themselves. There was no one else in the room at the moment, so the voice couldn't have come from inside. The young man who had heard the cry looked around to see if any microphones had been placed in the room; unlikely, for fear of inducing one of the warriors' rage, but there was a slim chance. That chance however, after a few minutes of inspecting, proved to be none. There were no microphones, no sound devices whatsoever in the training room. The young man stood still and ran his fingers through his hair, wondering what had just happened.

"That's weird… I could have sworn I heard someone call my name," he said in disbelief, hoping that he wasn't finally going mad. It would be about time he did, but he hoped that that wasn't the case. "Damn… I'd better just keep this to myself. Don't want anyone else afraid to death of me…"

The young man started to put his equipment away, sighing slightly to himself, deciding that he should take a rest. That strange voice had really rattled his nerves, and he didn't want anything else disturbing him further. Perhaps the voice was induced by his intense exercise, but he doubted it. He just needed some rest, and then he would be as good as new. Hopefully. As long as nobody unsettled him further, he should be fine, though there was no guarantee that this was going to happen. Unfortunately, just as he was thinking to himself that he would be fine, the door creaked slowly open. He looked at the door, puzzled, wondering who would be interrupting his lesson. He didn't remember ever telling anyone that he had decided to go practice in the training room, and he knew that no one had followed him. Then who…?

"Zero! Are you in here?" a distinctly feminine voice called out, the owner of which stepped in the room, looking around for the person she had called out for. The young man groaned slightly at the sight of her and the sound of her voice; she wasn't exactly the first person he had wanted to see after being sent that strange call. _Wait… Maybe it was her, _the young man called Zero thought to himself, trying to recall the sound of the cry. _No, that voice was definitely not hers… It was much too low-pitched for it to come out of her mouth._ As if to confirm his thoughts, the girl spotted him and ran over to him, her eyes lighting up a great deal.

"Zero! I've been looking for you all over the place. Where have you been?" she asked, her voice piercing Zero's thoughts almost instantly, making him lose focus slightly on the mental message. He didn't want to forget it, so he placed it in the back of his mind and turned to deal with the situation at hand.

"Is there something you need, Ciel?" he asked, avoiding her question, not wanting to drag out this conversation. He really wanted to get back to his room and rest a while, being both tired and confused. Ciel shifted her weight several times and looked up at him with her bright blue eyes, obviously wanting something from him. She started and stopped her sentence several times, taking her time with what she had to say, and so Zero, beginning to get rather annoyed, turned back to the equipment and continued putting his things away. He didn't want to seem rude, but he was still rather disconcerted. That voice that called his name kept ringing in his head, and he could start to sense the emotion in the tone. It sounded sad, desperate, and full of pain. It sounded like the person was crying… Like that person was almost calling to him for help. His eyes widened as the full emotion of the cry sunk it, and he bit his lip as the cry resonated in his head. _God… What was that person going through? And, why did he call my name?_

"-and so I was wondering if you wanted to. If you don't, that's perfectly fine, but you're the first person I thought of when I heard about this. So, what do you think? Zero?" Ciel's voice asked and penetrated his thoughts, bringing him back to reality with an unpleasant bump. He blinked and stared at Ciel, confused about what she had just asked him. It seemed that he had missed her entire speech, which was unusual for him. He ran his hand through his long hair again, sighing at his strange behavior. Though, it wasn't really all that unusual, seeing as how strange voices calling your name don't always make themselves heard all the time. Zero tried to gather all of his scattered thoughts and looked back at Ciel.

"I'm sorry… What were you saying? I'm not myself today…" he said quietly, hoping that what she was asking wasn't something that needed to be done immediately. He desperately needed some time to think. Ciel looked worried for a second at his behavior and then shrugged it off, leaping right back into her speech.

"Well, I was just asking you if you wanted to accompany me to the banquet next week. Like I said, Milan and the workers here at the mansion are preparing a banquet and ball. It's going to be really big, and I was wondering if you wanted to go with me," she said, batting her eyelashes in an attempt to make herself more desirable, and added as an afterthought, "You know… Like a date."

Zero closed his eyes and sighed softly. She really was trying too hard to get his attention, and she should have known by now that it is all in vain. He didn't want to have anything to do with her, really; he only stayed here with her in the mansion because he had nowhere else to go. He hated being so dependent, but he had to do it in order to survive. Ciel had taken his gratitude way too far and had blown it out of proportion. She was almost always trying to get his attention and spend more time with him, and she often bragged to the other girls of the household that she was the one that he wanted. It grated on his nerves a bit, but he tolerated it in order to keep the peace of the mansion. Enemies were the last things that he needed. He thought about Ciel's offer but decided that he had better do his best not to upset her.

"I'll… I'll think about it. We'll see," he said softly, knowing that his initial answer would be to decline the offer. He, however, didn't want to deal with any hurt feelings at this point in time, and he prayed that this would keep her sedated for a while. He expected no such thing, but perhaps his expectations were a bit pessimistic. He looked at her to see her reaction and could have sworn he saw her pride swell up. He sighed inwardly at the hard days he was going to have ahead of him.

"Okay," Ciel replied in an overly cheerful voice. "Let me know when you've decided, Zero. I'll be waiting!" She winked slightly and turned around to leave Zero to be by himself once again. Zero let out his breath in relief as she skipped her way out of the training room. As soon as she was out of eyesight, he sat down on one of the benches and put his head in his hands. He was glad to be rid of her, though he dreaded the coming days. For now though, he had peace. Finally.

He rubbed his temples slightly, trying to wake himself up a little, and turned to gather his clothes that he didn't use. Unfortunately, he was ending his routine training session rather early, but he didn't think he had the mental capacity to keep going. If there was anything he needed more right now, it was a nap. He set his clothes in his duffel bag and slung it over his shoulder, walking briskly out of the room, anxious to get to the comfort of his bed. That voice… It just wouldn't leave him alone.

Several people walked by him and looked at him strangely as he furrowed his brows in deep thought. He didn't stop to talk to anyone and if someone stopped to ask him something, he merely ignored them and walked right past, leaving some people quite confused at his behavior. He was always so polite, always willing to help someone and answer his or her questions if he was needed. Those that he left in a daze quickly replaced their confusion with self-assurances that he must be sick or have gotten less sleep than usual, for he was definitely not in his right mind at the moment.

The corridors and hallways passed Zero by quickly as he wasted no time in getting to his room. He didn't really pay attention to where he was going; he just let his feet take him where they may, trusting that they would stay true to him and lead him to the right place. They had memorized the path to his room a while ago, so there should be no trouble, as long as someone didn't decide to reassemble the corridors in the past week. Obviously they didn't, as the path became quite familiar, even though Zero's mind was not quite all there. He looked up and knew that his sanctuary was not too far away, and quickened his pace a bit.

Zero sighed in relief as he reached his room, the trek to reach it seemingly taking less time than it usually did, probably because he usually stopped and helped people along the way. This time, however, he wasn't thinking about if someone needed his help in lifting something or his aid in finding a certain person. The only thing that occupied his thoughts at the moment were of that voice; the voice that called his name. As soon as he was fully in his room and the door was shut, he dropped his bag on the floor and pulled out some clean clothes from his closet. He quickly changed into them, flung his dirty clothes into a corner, not really caring about hygiene at the moment, and collapsed onto his bed, his blond hair fanning out as he landed. He was finally free to think and gather his emotions that had been jumbled when he heard the voice. He closed his eyes and calmed his frantic thoughts, slowing his breathing in order to allow him to focus more easily.

"Damn it… Why am I so disturbed by that voice?" he said softly to himself, calming himself by listening to the sound of his own voice and thus enabling him to bring back that call and probe it slightly. "It's just a voice. Maybe I've just been working too hard and I'm hallucinating, or something. But then… why does it sound like that person needs my help?" Zero replayed the voice over and over in his head and became slightly more perturbed each time. The voice sounded in so much pain... "Why is he so sad...?"

Zero turned over on his side and stared at the wall, wondering what sort of horrible things the voice's owner was going through. He wanted to help the boy that called him, but he had no idea what he could do. He didn't even know where the voice came from let alone whom it belonged to. It was like searching for a needle in a haystack… Impossible.

Zero sighed sadly as he felt sleep washing over him, making him forget a bit about the voice and the emotion it invoked in him. He desperately wanted to know who the person was. Who would even want to call out to him like that? He couldn't think of anyone, and his search didn't seem to be getting any easier. He decided that he would give up for the night and get some sleep, and perhaps he would feel better in the morning; more in a mood for thinking. He sighed softly as sweet unconsciousness caressed him and led him off, his breathing falling into a slow, calm pace and his eyes closed slowly, cutting him off from the world. The last thing he heard before he became lost was that sad, painful voice echoing in his mind, almost causing a tear to slip past Zero's eyelids. The voice was so sad…

"Zero…" 

mansion: This is the place that Zero, Ciel and many other "orphans" are staying. Takes place of the Resistance Base.

Author's Note: Alright, I was seriously considering adding another event after this one (to make this chapter longer), but I figured that would have completely butchered the moment. So… Here's the second chapter. That was really quick… Umm, anyways. I don't have much to say right now (I think I did, but I can't remember), so I'll just stop talking.

Oh, and I'll probably edit this story (as I am prone to do), because I'm a perfectionist on my stories and I keep re-reading them and re-writing them. It's a bad habit, but I can't help it. But, that's enough of that. Hopefully, if my inspiration hasn't left me yet, the next chapter should be forth coming, probably by next week. Thanks.


	3. Journey

AR: Ack! I'm so sorry Darklight-san! I wrote this chapter before you wrote that review, so I totally missed it! Sumimasen! Umm… This chapter is dedicated to you? Heh. Well, actually, let's do that. This chapter is officially dedicated to Darklight-san. And, I'm not the only one who thinks Harpuia is a total sweetheart? YES! XD

Oh, Leviathan-san, since this is an AU fic, I'm just making him 18 anyway. I'm not going to have anything about him sleeping 100 years in here. But, did I not make him seem 18? Sumimasen, if I didn't.

Question for my readers! If anyone knows Harpuia's hair color and length (I'm going to go out on a limb here and say it's green), please leave a review telling me! Or e-mail me. Whatever you want. I would just like to know, instead of having to make it up and risk getting yelled at. Actually, I would really like to know so I can easily write the next chapter. No, that wasn't a spoiler! What made you think that? Anyways, arigatou!

And, I lied! Here's the next chapter already. I tricked you, didn't I? Mwahaha… (Actually, FF wouldn't let me on so I could upload the chapter. It was apparently experiencing heavy traffic. Tch, stupid bandwidth limit…)

Disclaimer: Mm… I wish I owned Harpuia… Wait, did I say that out loud?

Chapter 3: Journey

"AAAH!" Zero cried out and shot up in his bed, fully awake in seconds. He started panting heavily and wiped away the cold sweat that trickled down his face. He felt his sheets soaked with sweat and his pillow wet with tears. He cried, truly cried for the first time in many years. "Oh god, oh god…" he whispered shakily, putting his head in his hands, and calmed his breathing down, trying to comprehend what he had just witnessed. He had dreamt something terrible, something that should never have been seen. He had seen true suffering.

First, there was total darkness, like he was just floating in an empty void, and he couldn't see a thing. Two vivid green eyes suddenly appeared in the darkness filled with pain, begging him to save them from whatever torments the owner was going trough. Then, he saw Hell. There were bright, burning fires surrounding him, shedding light on the endless cracks in the ground, the tall cliffs that blocked any view he might have of the horizon, and the high, jagged rocks jutting up from the ground. Heat bore down on him and deep thunder boomed from the black clouds looming overhead, filling him with a deep sense of foreboding. Zero looked around frantically, wanting out of this horrid place, but then became riveted on the spot as he saw the unimaginable. The deadly flames parted in front of him and revealed to him two figures, one standing ominously tall and another crouched in pain at the former's feet. Zero couldn't make out the face on the crouching one, but he could see everything else.

Scars covered the boy's bared back and blood flowed out from each and every new cut that marred his skin. Thin pants dyed a deep crimson from the blood covered whatever other harm there was to the thin figure. His body heaved and trembled, and Zero could tell that the poor creature was sobbing. This boy, this poor boy had gone through unimaginable torture and pain and Zero was now bearing witness to his sufferings. Zero stared in horror at the bleeding wounds, wondering what in the world the boy had ever done to deserve this. He sensed that the boy had done nothing, and he clenched his fists, gritted his teeth, and turned to glare at the pitiless beast standing above the injured creature. The beast was filled and covered with darkness and he radiated fear. The boy collapsed; the beast merely cackled. Zero, restrained by some unseen force struggled against it, wanting to go to the boy and save him, but was unable to. He felt pathetic, unable to help someone who was right in front of him. Something drew him to the boy and his rage was all the more fueled because of it. He felt that he had to save the boy; he felt the overwhelming desire to end's the boy's suffering. He watched helplessly and saw the boy take a slow, shaky breath, and then saw and heard him utter a single word.

"Zero…" 

Lightning struck. A monolith shattered. The man laughed.

"NOOO!" Zero bellowed, thrashing at the unseen bindings, trying desperately to get to the suffering boy. That was him! That boy was the one who called him! That voice belonged to this beaten boy. That voice filled with pain and sorrow belonged to the creature lying right in front of him. That voice… It was his! Zero cried out desperately, his cries only made more haunting by the beast's terrible laugh. He stopped screaming and panted heavily, glaring at the beast with a mad glint in his eye. That man was the source of the boy's pain. That man must suffer!

The man shimmered, the boy flickered, and Zero's eyes widened. The vision was disappearing. Zero, once again in a hopeless effort thrashed about, trying to free himself of the invisible chains to get to the unconscious boy lying on the ground. "No! Wait!" he yelled out, watching the boy that haunted his mind dissolve. "Don't go! Please, don't go!" He was going to lose him. He was going to lose the one thing that he wanted to save. This was the first time in his life that he ever wanted to truly protect something, and the one thing that he wanted to protect was fading. He cried out again as Hell disappeared, all became black again, and his unconsciousness vanished, leaving him sweaty and frightened from the vision.

"Shit… Shit…" Zero whispered harshly, tears streaming down his face. He was so close to that boy. So close… Almost close enough to see the boy's face. But, yet again, the boy's identity remained unknown. However, though Zero knew not what the boy looked like, he knew his voice well. Again, the desperate cry resonated in his ears, almost sending another wave of tears falling. Zero, however, choked the tears back and furiously wiped away those that still streaked his face. Thoughts were racing through his head, most of them about how he could save the boy. Zero needed to rescue him, no matter what happened to him in the process. That boy was going to die if this kept going on. Zero, clenching his fists tightly, made up his mind, and started to form a plan. He would rescue that boy even if it were the last thing he ever did. He would rescue him.

About an hour later, Zero was vigorously packing all of the things that he would need for this journey that he had formed in his mind. He rapidly tied his hair back in a ponytail to keep it out of his face, and looked around his room, deciding what it was ne needed to bring. He felt in his heart that it would not take much time for him to at least find the suffering boy, so he merely packed an extra outfit as far as clothes went. He didn't really care about personal hygiene at this point; he merely wanted to rescue the boy as quickly as possible. If he had to go for a few days without clean clothes, so be it.

Knowing that it would take more than his bare fists to defeat this master however, he rummaged through his drawers and pulled out his favorite gun and his sword he had since he was a child. He slammed a new magazine into his unloaded gun, thrust it into the holster he had sewn onto all of his pants, and tossed a few extra magazines into his bag, just in case. With a determined look plastered onto his face, he pulled the sword out of the sheath with a metallic ring, and gracefully swung it, testing its weight and how it handled. He smirked at the familiar whistle it gave off when he swung it and gently ran a finger down the flat edge. This sword had always been true to him, and it would undoubtedly do the same for him on this quest. He flippantly wondered if his future opponent would be ready for such a deadly creature, but that's what he had his gun for. He slid the sword back into its sheath and set next to his bag, deciding to carry it by himself should he run into any enemies on the way. It never hurts to be prepared. However, as he ran over the plan once again in his mind and looked at his supplies, he realized there was a bit of a problem.

"Damn it… How am I going to get food without anyone noticing?" he said softly to himself, wondering how he was going to go about solving his dilemma. He thought of all of the people that he knew here and wondered which one of them he could trust with his secret. Ciel was definitely out of the picture; she would blab about it to the whole mansion, let alone even let him go at all. Who else did he know? "Oh! Cervaeu! He's never let me down before. I'm sure I can trust him with my secret."

Nodding to himself about his decision, he gathered up all of the things that he had packed, hoisted the bag onto his shoulder, and clutched his sword tenderly. All he needed was his food and he would be ready. The soft, sad voice rose in his mind once again and he closed his eyes, bringing up the vision of the broken boy. His heart filled with the great desire to find this boy and rescue him, and he breathed deeply, vigor flowing through his body. His eyes flew open once again, a burning passion making them almost glow, and he walked off to find Cervaeu in hopes that this journey wasn't as impossible as it seemed. He felt in his heart that he would be successful, and he hoped in his mind that he was right. _First things first, though…_

Zero walked swiftly but quietly down the corridors and took a quick glance at the map placed on the wall. He located Cervaeu's quarters right next to the laboratory, which was no surprise, and quickly walked in the direction the map told him to. Luckily, no one in the mansion had a night-life, so he didn't run into anyone on his way down to meet Cervaeu. He had to keep his footsteps soft as he sped past the dorms however, as there was likely to be some light sleepers here. He glanced around at the rooms and if the map was correct, he was almost there. The strange smell of chemicals and antibacterial cleaners washed over him and he knew that he was close. He quickened his pace a tad and reached Cervaeu's room in a matter of seconds. Trying to stay as quiet as he possibly could, he opened the door gently, slipping in the room without a sound. Cervaeu didn't stir as Zero closed the door silently and walked over to his bedside, probably dreaming about genetic experiments and weapon advancements. Zero, careful not to startle him, placed a hand on his shoulder and lightly shook him, trying to wake him up.

"Cervaeu…" Zero whispered, gently shaking him again. "Hey, Cervaeu. Wake up. I need a favor." He stepped back as Cervaeu moaned and sat up in his bed, rubbing his eyes in an attempt to wake up. He was obviously not a morning person.

"Z-Zero? Is that you?" he asked groggily, blinking the sleep out of his eyes. "What are you doing here? And, why are you dressed up to go out?"

"I don't have time to explain right now, Cervaeu," Zero said hastily, wanting to get his food and go on his search. He didn't want to seem rude, but at the moment he was very impatient. "I just need to ask a favor of you. Will you help?"

"Well, sure. I'll help if I can."

"Good, thank you," Zero said, glad that Cervaeu was so trusting. "I really appreciate it. Now, is there any chance you could get me into the kitchen so I could pack some food? I'm going out on a bit of a journey. I won't be gone too long, but I need to pack something to eat."

"Well, I don't know why you're in such a rush, but I can see that it's personal, so I won't pry," Cervaeu said and stood up, rubbing the rest of the sleep out of his eyes. He put his hand on Zero's shoulder squeezed it gently in reassurance. "And, I'll get you your food. But, I think you should bring some extra money, just in case things don't go as planned. I don't want you starving to death…"

"Don't worry, I've already thought of that," Zero said, laughing quietly at Cervaeu's comment. Cervaeu turned to his nightstand and grabbed his keys before setting out, leaving the lights off, just in case. Zero clutched his sword firmly and followed Cervaeu out of the room and to the kitchens, making sure that he didn't make a sound. Luckily, the kitchen wasn't too far off (Zero had no clue why this was; you would think that the presence of deadly chemicals would distance the source of food, but that didn't happen to be the case), so even though the risk of waking someone up was higher, it didn't take the two nearly as long to get to their destination. When they reached the kitchen, Cervaeu tiptoed to the door, carefully unlocked it with his set of keys, and opened his softly, careful not to make it creak. They slipped inside silently, and shut the door behind them, letting out their held breaths as they entered the safe zone. Hopefully, if anyone saw the lights on in the kitchen, they would assume someone was just getting a midnight snack. That was only if they were lucky, however.

"Alright Zero, take what you need," Cervaeu said, standing near the door to keep watch over the hallway. "Make sure you don't take enough to be noticed, though."

"I won't need that much. I don't plan to be gone too long," Zero replied, rummaging through the cupboards filled with food. He grabbed a loaf of bread, a pack of beef jerky, and some other foods that would last a while, packing a little extra food along with the extra money just in case.

"Are you planning on coming back in time for the banquet, though?" Cervaeu asked slyly, a hint of mocking in his voice. "I hear there's a special girl who can't wait for it to come."

"Shut up, Cervaeu. You know how I feel about that," Zero spat back, laughing a bit in spite of his annoyance. "I wouldn't be caught dead on a date with that obsessed female."

"Yeah, yeah… Just you wait though. Someday, she's going to force you into it."

"I look forward to that day," Zero said with false enthusiasm. They both shared a short laugh, and Zero quickly finished rationing his food. As soon as he was finished, he was at the door, about to head out on his journey. Before he stepped out though, he turned back to Cervaeu and they both clasped hands firmly. "Thank you, my friend. I owe you one."

"You bet you do. Good luck on your quest, Zero," Cervaeu said, nodding after him. "I await your return."

"Thanks. Farewell," Zero said, and quickly left Cervaeu to exit the mansion. He took careful steps, positive that no one could hear him, and left through one of the side doors that was always left unlocked. As soon as he was out of the enormous building, he took a deep breath of the fresh, clear air, and broke into a run. Adrenaline pumped through his body and gave him a bit more speed and vigor to his step, making his journey faster. He knew nothing about where he was going, but let his heart do the thinking and his feet do the working. He trusted that he knew where the boy was being kept in his heart, and he trusted that his heart would lead him in the right direction. It was now only a matter of time before he found that boy and fulfilled his desire.

As the wind swept Zero's long hair away from his face, the voice rose again in his mind, filling him with even more passion in his swift run. As he listened again and again to the call, a crazy idea formed in his mind. The boy had sent him this strange message mentally, and though it might have been an accident, it still managed to reach Zero. Perhaps… Well, it was worth a try. Zero, leaving the running to his feet, gathered all of his emotions and thoughts together into one phrase and brought up the memory of the beaten boy in his mind. He focused solely on the boy, and tried the unthinkable. He sent a short message, not knowing if it would work at all, but hoping with all his heart that the boy would hear it. That message may give them both hope.

"I will save you. I'm coming…" 

AN: Whew, I am finished with chapter 3. Throw a party for me, will ya? Heh. So, you can start to see my story taking shape, no? Yes, it really is. I'm working my ass off to make this fic good, so I think I deserve some comments. Umm… please? Pwetty pwease with sugar on top? Yaaay. Alright, I certainly don't have much to say this time. Except for…

Thank you for reading, and watch for the next chapter! Arigatou!


	4. Relief

AR: Alright… This story is turning out completely different from what I first thought it would be, but that's okay. This will just be a supernatural thing. You'll see what I mean in a little while. However, I was wondering… I didn't know whether to put this chapter in now, or make another one with Zero first. I'll just have to work my little scenario out somehow… I was itching to write this chapter, though. Hehehe… Oh, and I'm going to make Harpuia's hair go down to his middle back, or so. And green, of course.

And, Leviathan-san, if you could e-mail the site to me, that would be great. It won't show up in your review (or maybe the computers I use are just being bitchy), and I would love to take a look at it. Thanks.

Disclaimer: Hmm, after three chapters, I still don't own them. I must be doing something wrong…

Chapter 4: Relief 

Green eyes quickly snapped open as a faint message flew through Harpuia's mind. The determined voice ignited a blush on Harpuia's cheeks and triggered a quick, nervous heartbeat within his heart. He sat up, wincing slightly as the dried blood cracked and healing wounds reopened, and stared at the floor, shocked at what he had just heard. The message ran through his head again and he brought his hand up to his face, covering his mouth slightly in surprise.

"Was that… Zero?" he whispered, feeling his cheeks burning and his heart pounding. It had to have been; no other voice could elicit such a response from him. That message came from Zero and, if Harpuia had heard correctly, it said that it was coming to save him. Harpuia thought about the possibility of Zero actually coming to save him, and a familiar sting rose to his eyes, marking the signs of tears. Though, these weren't the pain filled, sad tears that came so often. These tears were joyful, full of hope. Someone was actually coming to save him, and that person was the one thing that he wanted to see. Zero was coming to save him.

After the initial surprise and happiness floated over (though it took quite a while for it to pass; Harpuia was nearly glowing with relief for many minutes), Harpuia realized how Zero would see him. He looked down at his battered figure, and grimaced at the horrible sight. The cuts that he had received the night before were scabbing fortunately, unfortunately however, they weren't the most attractive sights to see. Huge gashes turning scars lay across his stomach and back, and his chest, legs, and arms sported many small cuts. The blood that had spilled from all of these wounds the night before had dried and now covered his skin, cracking and breaking whenever he moved. His thin pants, now completely in tatters, were stiff with dried blood, and chafed painfully against his fresh wounds. He reached back and felt his hair, running his fingers along the clumps all the way down to his middle back to find it also stiff with dried blood, and sighed sadly at the touch. He hoped his master would a least pity him enough to let him bathe; he needed it desperately.

Almost as if on cue, the door creaked open and the looming form of Harpuia's master stepped inside, shutting the door behind him. Harpuia immediately stiffened up and quickly put himself in a less vulnerable position. His master cackled and walked slowly over to Harpuia, taunting him mercilessly.

"My, my… You look positively _awful_, my dear boy," he said with a snide tone. Harpuia flinched and slid backwards a few inches as his master crouched right next to him, a horrific smile plastered on his face. He ran a finger along one of the particularly large gashes that extended from Harpuia's ribs on the left side of his body all the way down to his right hip. A shiver flew up Harpuia's spine as his master caressed him and he bit his lip to keep from thrashing out in defense. His master smiled cruelly, clutched Harpuia's chin, and brought it close to his face, just like he did the night before.

"I trust you've learned your lesson, treasure," he whispered, mocking Harpuia with his nickname. He smirked and brought Harpuia's face in even closer, almost covering Harpuia's lips with his. Frantic thoughts flew through Harpuia's head, and he turned his head away quickly, wrenching it out of his master's grasp, earning himself a harsh slap to the face. Bringing his hand up to his stinging cheek, Harpuia stared at his master with hints of fear and hurt behind his eyes. His master merely stood up and fingered his whip, stroking it caringly.

"Watch yourself, boy," he spat, turning around to leave. He walked calmly to the door and almost slammed it shut, but turned around to Harpuia instead. "You look disgraceful. Get up and go wash your filthy blood off, and get a change of clothes while you're at it," he said and slammed the door behind him, leaving it unlocked for Harpuia. Once his footsteps faded away into nothingness, Harpuia slumped with relief. He brought his knees in close and hugged them, trying to comfort himself from the fright that rose in his heart once again.

"Damn it…" Harpuia said with a shaky breath, trying to push away his fright from his trembling body. "Why does he scare me so much?"

Shaking himself mentally, Harpuia stood up, biting his lip at the pain as he felt several of the larger wounds reopen again, and stumbled over to the door. He urgently needed a bath, and needed the warmth to drive away the slight sickness he felt coming over him. However, he quickly had to lean up against the door for support and clasp his hands over his mouth, trying to keep whatever was in his stomach down. A violent shudder shook his body and he could taste the repulsive bile rising in his throat, but he managed to keep from being sick. That small episode left him feeling rather dizzy however, and he knelt down, resting against the door to try and stop the room from spinning. He sat still for a few minutes and once he was positive that the small wave of sickness had passed over, he stood up and opened the door slowly, wanting to get to the baths as quick as he possibly could. A hot bath sounded like heaven right now…

He staggered in the direction he knew the baths were in, keeping almost right up against the wall for support. His legs felt like lead and it was difficult to make them move properly, his exhaustion coupled with the many wounds that stung as his pants rubbed up against them not helping in the slightest. The hallway blurred slightly, and Harpuia merely walked in the direction that his instinct told him to go in. Luckily however, he didn't have to walk blindly for very long as he heard a voice from behind him.

"Excuse me, Master Harpuia, but… May I offer you some assistance?" the voice said, and Harpuia turned slowly around to face the owner. He eyes were greeted by a humble servant bowed over slightly in respect, and a small smile of relief appeared on his face. This particular servant, a man of about 25 named Jos, was always kind and pitying to Harpuia. He was the only person in the whole castle, besides the doctor that saw to the green-eyed boy's wounds, that could honestly say he had Harpuia's trust. Everyone else obediently heeded the master, and simply earned Harpuia's doubts.

"Yes, thank you Jos," Harpuia said gratefully and moved away from the walls, walking carefully over to him. Jos immediately sensed Harpuia's pain and quickly moved to support him, not wanting to let the poor boy fall and hurt himself further. Harpuia gave Jos a smile of thanks and voiced his request, "Could you please take me to the baths? I don't think I can make it there on my own…"

"Of course, sir," Jos said, a warm smile that he saved only for Harpuia lighting up his face. He walked slowly for Harpuia's sake, careful not to reopen any more wounds that already had, and tightened his grip on Harpuia to make sure that there wasn't a chance that he would fall. Fortunately for Harpuia, the baths weren't too far off; they were about 20 rooms away (close, considering how large the actual castle was). They got there quickly despite the slow pace they were going at, and Harpuia sighed in relief as he saw the steam spilling out of the room. Apparently someone had already set up a bath for him as Jos took him into the room to find that no one was there, only a ready bath waiting for him. He turned to Jos and smiled, no longer needing his aid.

"Thank you so much, Jos," he said softly, putting his hand on Jos's shoulder in thanks. Jos merely smiled and bowed, and turned around to leave Harpuia to himself, shutting to door behind him quietly. Knowing that he was as alone as he could possibly get (there were bound to be surveillance somewhere in the room), he carefully stripped off his ruined pants and touched his toe to the water, testing the temperature. Luckily, it wasn't too hot, so his wounds wouldn't hurt too much. Still a bit hesitant at the pain however, he carefully lowered himself into the bath, clenching his teeth together to keep from crying out at the hot water touching his fresh wounds. His body burned for a few minutes, but luckily the pain only lasted for a short while. He soon got used to the water and it soon felt wonderful against his skin, washing away all of the blood that had dried on his body.

He was a bit worried that the blood would ruin the water, but the bath was so large that soon the blood that washed off of his body was lost. Fresh blood came out of his reopened gashes and dyed the water around him slightly, but aided by the presence of the water, his injuries halted their profuse bleeding and the blood swirled away. He sighed in relief as the warm water soothed his body and his mind and washed away his doubts. His mind quickly cleared of all of his unwelcome thoughts and he ran his fingers delicately over the new gashes. They stung a little when his fingers brushed them, but he was too calm to really notice the pain. He did notice, however, notice how large the cuts really were now that the blood was washed away and he could fully see the injuries. He took a deep breath to prepare himself and stood up in the shallow end of the bath, the water just about coming up to his hips. He looked down hesitantly and winced as soon as his eyes met the damage. The slash across his belly was one of the worst ones he had ever gotten. It was almost an inch thick and Harpuia could tell that it was deep. He knew it would take quite a while to heal, but he had no desire to think about it, so he took a deep breath and plunged himself fully beneath the surface of the water, squeezing his eyes shut completely, letting the water surround him with its comforting warmth.

The warm depths of the bath coupled with the darkness of his closed eyes placed him in an almost fantasy world. All of his pain, memories of his torture, and fear of his master completely disappeared and were replaced by complete and total darkness. This darkness wasn't evil though; it was comforting, void of any malicious intentions. Memories flew past Harpuia's eyes in a blur, and he wasn't able to actually see any of them. The feelings he had just washed over him and surrounded him in a whirlpool of reminiscence. Time seemed to pass slower in this dream world for it felt like he was under the water forever, not feeling the need to breath at all. He knew that his actions would be misinterpreted as suicide however, so he pushed away the vortex of memories and thrust himself above the surface, gasping for the air that he had lost. He looked around quickly to see if there were any people there to prevent his "suicidal actions," and sighed in relief when he saw none. Perhaps they figured that he had learned his lesson about suicide attempts, and decided that he would know better than to try that again. Come to think of it, they had actually let him comb his hair by himself for the entire past week. Harpuia greatly welcomed all of the privacy he could get.

He reached back and ran his fingers through his soaked hair and sighed softly as he felt the hard clumps of dried blood that hadn't washed out clinging to the soft tendrils. He looked around the bath, trying to make out the objects through the steam, and noticed the soaps and shampoos on the other side of the bath. He swam over to where they were located and leaned against the edge, looking at the choices that he had. Luckily there weren't many that he had to deal with and he picked the pair of shampoo of conditioner that was on the far right. He looked at the label to see the fragrance that he had randomly picked out and a small smile crept onto his face.

"Vanilla…" he said quietly and grinned happily, screwing off the cap of the shampoo and pouring a generous amount into the palm of his hand. "My favorite…" He rubbed the shampoo gently into his hair, pushing away the slight disgust in his stomach as he felt the clumps of blood embedded in his hair. As soon as the shampoo was worked up into a thick lather, he fiercely cleaned away any trace of dried blood that there was. The thought of the blood was pushed away by the sweet aroma that came out of the shampoo, and Harpuia closed his eyes, the wonderful smell filling his senses. After a long while of rubbing the shampoo into his hair, making sure that he washed every bit, he opened his eyes and felt no more trace of blood in his long hair. He stopped washing it, and brought his hands up to his face to breath in the sweet vanilla scent that drove him crazy. Just like Zero…

A soft giggle bubbled in Harpuia's throat and he submerged himself under the water, running his hands through his deep green tresses to get all of the shampoo out of it. He swum around in a few circles to ensure that all of the suds came out, and blushed happily as the image of Zero appeared in his mind. It seemed like no matter what happened to Harpuia, the mere thought of Zero could fill that hole in his heart that pained him so. As he poured out a generous amount of vanilla conditioner into his hand, he brought up Zero's warm voice in the form of that message he had heard in his sleep. He nearly fainted as the message that brought hope replayed in his mind, and he closed his eyes, gently rubbing in the conditioner into his hair, thinking about the possibility of that message actually coming true.

"I will save you. I'm coming…" 

He melted. Harpuia's heart and soul turned into a big puddle of hopeful thoughts, that sweet message swirling around his mind, the voice making his heart race. He felt that the conditioner was fully rubbed into his hair, and he felt backwards with a small splash, a wonderful smile lighting up his face. Holding his breath, he laid submerged in the water, tenderly brushing his wounds as the message calmed his dark, fearful thoughts. Not one to dwell on suffocation, he came up again and rested against the side of the bath, closing his eyes and drifted off to that dream land that he had become accustomed to. However, his thoughts and feelings in this place were more of longing, a deep yearning that burned a hole in his heart. He just wanted to be free.

He hoped with all of his heart and soul that Zero really was coming to save him. The only times of happiness that Harpuia received were times like now, when he was allowed to be alone and gather his thoughts. The rest of the time he had was spent wishing he could be alone, or with someone who really cared. No room in the entire castle was safe for Harpuia. The master and the servants who obeyed him were around every corner, in every shadow. Anywhere that Harpuia walked was likely to hide one of the servants just itching to earn his master's favor. Harpuia felt just like a little mouse in a labyrinth of traps. There was nowhere he could go. Harpuia shook his head slightly, not wanting to have gloomy thoughts to corrupt his time of peace. However, knowing that he had soaked in the bath for well over an hour, and that whoever was watching him was bored to death, Harpuia carefully stepped out of the bed, wary of the slippery floor. He took cautious steps over to where the towels hung (he had no desire to be punished for an accident), and tenderly dried himself off, biting his lip at the pain from the towel rubbing against the wounds. He blinked as he felt a new, warm liquid on the towel and glanced down to see the source.

"Damn it…" he said and winced as he saw new blood flowing from the gash on his belly. A couple of his other, more severe cuts were also bleeding, but not as profusely as this one now was. He needed to get these wounds dressed quickly, before they became infected. Hopefully the doctor in the castle wasn't busy at the moment. However, Harpuia let a small smile show on his face, as he knew that the doctor would drop any task that he had to help Harpuia. The only difficulty he would have would be finding the doctor, which was quite a problem seeing as how Harpuia had a fair amount of trouble walking. He didn't want to convenience anyone further, but perhaps he could find Jos again and ask him for another favor. However, he had no idea where the servant was, so he didn't know where to begin. Wrapping the towel around hi waist, he walked slowly towards the door, trying not to think about the pain and decided against changing into clothes, knowing that that would hurt him even more. He would just have to ignore his rather immodest appearance for the time being, and hope that he ran into someone who could help him.

"Anything I can do for you, sir?" a familiar voice said as Harpuia left the room and a grin spread across his face. He turned around and, for the second time that day, was greeted by the humble figure of Jos. Jos stepped forward and made the gesture of carrying Harpuia, and Harpuia agreed. He nodded and moved to allow Jos to carry him, knowing that it would not have been a good idea to walk. Bowing deeply with respect, Jos picked Harpuia up gently, carefully avoiding any of his deeper wounds and Harpuia looked up at Jos and smiled warmly, giving Jos the only payment he could ever want.

"You waited for me that whole time, didn't you?" Harpuia asked, his suspicions merely confirmed as Jos smiled and nodded. "Thank you… Could you… could you please take me to Dr. Rai? I need to get my wounds healed…" he said quietly, trying to be as humble as he could. He didn't need to be though; Jos would have done anything for him.

"Of course, sir," he said, and walked quickly but carefully off to the doctor's office. Harpuia closed his eyes and rested, knowing that he would need his sleep in order for his wounds to heal. Hopefully his master wouldn't try anything with him for the next week or so. He was usually left alone for a while after serious beatings such as the one that happened the previous night. He was going to have a few scars, however. The slash across his belly was going to turn into a particularly large one. Hopefully Zero wouldn't be too mortified or get too upset at the sight of Harpuia's sufferings.

"Zero…" Harpuia whispered under his breath, wondering where the young man was now. Was he really on his way to save him? It all seemed so… impossible. He sighed sadly as miserable thoughts penetrated Harpuia's hope. Zero couldn't be coming… He was just imagining his voice. Just imagining that he was coming to save him…

"Zero… Please come…"

AN: Shit… I keep ending my chapters the same way. Crap. BUT! This time, Harpuia didn't call out to Zero, so he's not going to hear it. That would just completely ruin my little scenario I have all planned out. Mwahaha…

Oh, crap… I just realized something. This should be Chapter 3, shouldn't it? DANG IT! Well… I guess the title of the first chapter can have Prologue in it, can't it? Tch… Too late to change it now. Ah, well. Just ignore it…

And, my chapters are getting longer, aren't they? I don't know how in the world I managed to make this chapter as long as it is… In my mind, it was WAY shorter than this. Oh, well. More is better.

Anyways. Enjoy what you read, and read what you enjoy. Thanks for putting up with me. Don't miss the next chapter!


	5. Arrival

AR: AAAAAAARGH! I am SO incredibly sorry! I… I… I don't know what took so long, I just… I had the worst case of writer's block, I had no motivation whatsoever; I even had to start a whole new fic (for a friend) in order to think of what to write for this one! I'm sorry! I know you are all probably very angry, so… Please use something other than rotten tomatoes. I don't like tomatoes very much…

Umm, well… I suppose some thanks are in order. Thank you Freaky-san for all the reviews. They didn't help my writing too much, but they made me smile nonetheless. Gratitude to Leviathan-san as always (any chance you could e-mail me that site? I still can't see it…). Also, thanks to Darklight-san and two new reviewers, Fukki-san and… and… I forgot the other one… Sumimasen! Anyway, thanks to all of you for putting up with me!

So, before I'm covered in filth, on with the fic!

Disclaimer: Well, even if I did own the characters, my reviewers would probably have stolen them from me in punishment for taking so long…

Chapter 5: Arrival

"Son of a… I don't even know where the hell I'm going…" Zero muttered as he continued his flight through the countryside. He had been searching for that voice and the tormentor that kept it for about a day now and he still had no idea where he was, much less where he was going. The land around him was unfamiliar; there were farms and forests as far as the eye could see, and he spotted no castle or mansion or anything of the sort to indicate that there was a wealthy person here. He felt that his feet and his heart were leading him in the right direction, but his mind said otherwise.

"If only that voice could tell me where to go," he mumbled in irritation. "Problem is, I don't even know who he is…"

The only clues that Zero had gotten from his dreams were those stunning green eyes. They looked so sad, helpless. They bored into Zero's soul and his memories, forcing most other thoughts away. Zero knew only one other person with eyes as green as those, and he hadn't seen him in months. They had been out of touch for a while, and Zero had been unable to contact the other for that whole time. He had tried sending letters, but they hadn't been replied to. Zero had figured that the other was just busy; he would reply sooner or later. There had been times that Zero was busy himself, never as long as this, but it was possible.

"Wait a minute…" Zero whispered to himself as slight realization hit him. _Harpuia?_ he thought, wondering if perhaps the green-eyed boy was the one being tortured. "No way… Harpuia would never let himself get caught like that. He's too strong…"

Zero slightly doubted his half-hearted assurances, but they were all that he had at the moment. Harpuia was the last person that Zero wanted to see tortured. The boy didn't deserve it. He had been twisted and led on by so many others; it would be much too cruel for him to be led on by another. Zero didn't know if the boy could take another deceit like that; he was strong, but no one was strong enough to withstand what he had been through another time over. It would be too much.

First, there was that powerful, pitiless man who called himself "X" and deceived those that he wanted. Not only had Harpuia been tricked, but also his friends, Leviathan and Fefnir were led on as well. X forced them to do whatever he pleased and they could do nothing but follow. Zero had managed to kill their captor that time, but not before engaging in tremendous fights with them. Though Zero loved a good fight, those battles felt wrong. He knew that the three were unknowingly fighting for the wrong reasons, and that pissed him off. Being tricked like that is the one thing that should never happen to anyone. The reason being that it was simply unfair.

The second time that Harpuia was tricked however, was much worse. That time, he hadn't wanted to fight Zero at all. The conniving Elpizo somehow forced the green-eyed boy to engage in battle with Zero to prevent Zero from stopping him. Again, Zero was able to avenge Harpuia, but not without Harpuia getting a few scars of his own both physical and mental. Harpuia had run away in shame for a while, and Zero hadn't seen him since. Now, there was this incident. Zero had no idea if the captive really was Harpuia, but he knew of no one else that knew his name and had those eyes. It couldn't be.

"Damn it!" Zero cursed, clenching his fists tightly. There was no way it could be Harpuia! But then… why hadn't Zero heard from him in such a long time? They were good friends. Harpuia had always kept in touch before that, and if he were busy, Leviathan or Fefnir would keep in touch for him. Why hadn't they spoken to him in such a long time?

"No… Oh, god please… Don't let it be Harpuia…" Zero begged. "I don't want him to suffer another thing like that…"

Zero looked around at his surroundings, realizing that he had stopped in his tracks. His deep thoughts must have slowed him down. He took a deep breath and turned his face up to the dark sky, closing his eyes calmly. If it really was Harpuia, then that was all the more reason to rescue him. He was a good friend and Zero couldn't think what his life would be like if he knew that he had let the beast do his way with Harpuia. Zero only hoped that it wasn't too late…

Soon, the trees and farms were speeding past Zero in a blur once again as he continued his mad dash to where his heart led him. Time moved slowly for Zero; the moon never seemed to move despite how long he seemed to be running. The lands merely passed by him, unseen by his eyes. The only thing he saw was the path in front of him. The path towards a tortured boy.

_Tortured boy… Damnit…_ Zero thought as emotions flooded his mind and his body making his legs and his heart pump all the faster. He bit his lip harshly as the thoughts surfaced in his mind. _What will I do if it really is Harpuia?_

His brows furrowed as the unpleasant thoughts made him realize the true gravity of the situation. It was enough that an innocent person was being tortured that way, but if it was someone he knew… there would be hell when he caught the torturer.

He had seen his share of pain and suffering in his life. When he left the mansion to be alone, he often wandered into the near city to merely gather his thoughts. He saw so many things there that no one deserved; theft, beatings, rape, sometimes as far as murder. He had wanted to help all those victims so badly but he had felt so helpless. He was afraid that he would just make everything worse, so he stayed out of those disasters. But now… all of that guilt and all of those desires were building up and he _had_ to help this person. Zero knew that this would never make up for any of his past flights from helping those people, but he knew that he couldn't run away from it anymore. He had to help this suffering boy.

"Those green eyes…" Zero whispered, letting his heart lead him as his mind was in another place. The clear green eyes pierced his thoughts with that sad, longing look. They looked so… desperate for freedom. He knew that they were trapped, unable to escape and yet… they wanted so badly to be free. And at that moment, he knew.

"Shit… Harpuia…" he whispered, his eyes stinging with tears at the thought of the boy being imprisoned like a caged bird with a broken wing. Zero bit his lip fiercely to keep the tears from spilling. He never cried. Not for anyone.

God… What am I thinking? I don't cry? Then what is this stinging in my eyes and the salty wetness dripping down my cheeks? Tch, I don't cry for anyone… Yeah, right. At least, I didn't use to…

It must have been the thought of such a close friend being tormented like that. It was almost too much to bear. The green-eyed boy was so strong too; sweet, but strong. He wouldn't have let anyone take him like that. Something must have happened… Something drastic.

What could have happened to allow the boy to be captured? Had he been weakened? _Yes… That must be it. Harpuia wouldn't go down without a fight anyway…_

"What could allow you to be captured like that… my dear friend…?" Zero mumbled, going over dozens of situations that would have weakened Harpuia that much. He stopped however as the last part of what he said hit him. He hadn't realized it before, but saying that Harpuia was just a "friend" seemed… wrong. It was like "friend" wasn't the right word.

_What in the world is this… feeling? _he thought, furrowing his brows once again as he realized that something in his body felt strange. _Why does my heart ache? What the hell is happening?_

All thoughts of the rescue fled from his mind as confusion caught him and whirled around him like a hurricane. His dash turned from smooth to frantic quickly and he started running faster, trying to escape his fears and uncertainty. His eyes widened as these new thoughts and feelings threatened to drown him completely if he didn't get away from them quickly. They were frightening; they were unfamiliar. They were _wrong._

"…no… No…! NO!" he bellowed as he fled from his feelings, those piercing green eyes once again springing tears to his eyes with that pitiful look… This time though, the tears that flowed weren't just sad. They were filled with desperation, panic, _desire._

"NO! I can't… It's not… possible…" Zero stuttered, realizing that Harpuia meant more to him then he ever realized. It frightened him. "Shit… shit… It… it is…"

_It is…_ he thought as his words were cut off by his short breaths from his constant running and the added burden of his tears. He had completely changed in the last few moments. All this time he had been stone cold, introverted, uncaring of others feelings and now… his tears were flowing freely. Only one thing, one _person_ made him feel this way.

He's more than a friend to me… If only I had realized that sooner… 

The next thing that Zero saw completely broke him out of his suffocating reverie. He stopped in his tracks and simply stared at the sight before him.

"Oh, god…" he whispered, utterly in awe as the realization hit him. "Have I… arrived?"

A huge stone castle stood before him, looming over the lands; daunting in its frightful image. It would have taken years to build this monster of a building. The castle was large enough to house over a hundred people and it likely did, though is seemed rather quiet and a bit out of date. It most likely survived the medieval ages and still stood now, but Zero doubted that it was still used for its original purpose. Now, it was more than likely a very elite and elegant place to live. If this really was the place where Harpuia was being kept, then Zero would have a bit of a tough time finding him. Though his feet had been faithful this far, so perhaps they would stay that way. Zero slowly studied the stone ramparts, getting a feel for the castle. He would need it in order to search for Harpuia. His heart was his only chance in finding Harpuia. _All right… No pressure…_

The castle was bordered by a dark forest with colossal trees and sported large towers that looked over the surrounding country. It seemed as though no one dared live near it for there were no houses or farmlands near the castle walls, not that Zero blamed them. Its grey, stone walls and heavy, iron portcullis were enough to turn any brave man away. However, Zero hadn't come this far to turn away with his tail between his legs.

He had come for a reason.

That reason was enough to die for.

Zero was about to charge in headstrong as always when he suddenly let out a huge yawn that nearly cracked his jaw. When it was finished, he blinked, surprised, and shook his head in order to set his priorities straight.

"I guess I need some sleep first," he said to himself looking around for a place to camp for the rest of the night. "Not surprising, considering I haven't slept for about a day and a half now…"

As soon as he spotted a place to sleep, he took off his bag and leaned backwards, stretching out his sore muscles. Hopefully all of his vigorous training would prevent him from having serious leg cramps tomorrow, though he quickly pushed away those thoughts. No need for self-doubt at this point…

Zero lay back against the cool grass, using his pack as a pillow for his head. The stars sparkled mischievously at him as he gazed up at them, thinking about his newfound mission. It seemed so impossible… So close, yet so far away… Death was waiting around every corner now that he was in the true battlefield.

A grin spread across Zero's face as the thought of an invigorating mission such as this filled his body with a tingling sense of anticipation. He was finally ready. He would rescue his beckoner.

_I'm almost there, Harpuia…_ he thought, once again sending the message with all of his heart to the beautiful green eyes.

_Just wait for me… I'm coming._

AN: Umm… was that okay? Are you upset? I'm so sorry… Well, at least it's finished. And just let me say that, holy shit. This chapter was such a bitch to write. I couldn't think of anything when he was running towards the castle… I tried to make it long and add some thought junk in there, but it didn't work out too well. Oh, well. I hope it's satisfactory for you guys.

Hopefully now that Zero's almost there, it'll be easier for me to write from here on out. I can't really guarantee anything… I can guarantee that I'll try my hardest though! And, I just realized, that I'm now writing two fanfics with a main character named "Zero." o.O Hmm… I should write a crossover. Hahaha… Just kidding. You can expect updates for both of my fanfics soon! See you in the next chapter!

Don't forget to leave a review. Wink, wink.


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